That's What Friends are For
by Mariko Midori
Summary: Today is that day. Japan doesn't think his friends care about that. OOC Japan and little OOC Hong Kong. Rated T for language.


The screams. Rushing water. Homes being torn apart. Those images plagued Japan's mind for the past few days now. However, every time he closed his eyes they would appear because today marked one year. One year since the devastating earthquake. Though Japan's physically healed, his internal self was still suffering. His body was feeling the effects of it. He's even falling asleep during meetings and his boss acts like he doesn't care. He has been busy with the nuclear plant business and what not. The other countries were minding their own business, hardly ever talking to Japan. Now he had enough. He stood up and walked out of the meeting feeling a dozen pairs of eyes watching him. Japan stumbled into his room and collapsed on the bed, asleep.

* * *

><p>The nations watched Japan leave the meeting confused. They've noticed how he was not acting like himself earlier, but this was definitely not him. Britain looked around the room, catching everyone's puzzled looks.<p>

"Uh, what is wrong with Japan?" he asked.

The attending nations murmured amongst themselves, saying they had no idea what was going. Well almost everyone. China knew what today was and so did Hong Kong. The two looked at each other and was going to say something, but was interrupted by America.

"I don't know and I'm the Hero!" he declared.

Everyone either facepalmed or sweatdropped. China slammed his hands on the table getting everyone's attention.

"Idiots, don't you know what today is?" he shouted.

"What is today?" France asked.

"March 11! Aiyah, you're dumber than I thought."

Just as China said that, everything clicked. Britain remembered how weird Japan had been acting and he hardly ate anything. America thought back to all those times Kiku had fallen asleep during meetings. He was depressed! Every country has experienced it, but Japan was getting nailed with it. China sent Hong Kong to check on their brother while everyone else started discussing some sort of surprise for the small nation.

* * *

><p>Hong Kong knocked on Japan's door. "Japan, are you alright?" he asked.<p>

He waited for an answer and didn't get one. He opened the door and walked in. The room was clean and tidy. Everything had a certain spot for it. Hong walked around taking note of this. He spotted Japan's katana, but noticed it had a layer of dust on it. When was the last time he dusted his precious sword? Hong walked around a little more before finding his brother's room. There he heard whimpering coming from the bundle of blankets on the bed. Then Japan started to scream and shiver more. Hong Kong rushed over and tried to wake him up.

"Japan, wake up!" he said shaking his shoulder. "Get a hold of yourself and wake up!"

This only caused the nation to whimper and shake more. Hong huffed in frustration. There had to be something to snap him out of it. Then he got an idea. He leaned down next to Japan's ear and yelled as loud as he could, "Kiku Honda wake up!"

Japan shot up and smacked Hong Kong in the head with a flailing arm. "Ow! What the hell was that for?" Hong complained.

"You scared the ever roving crap out of me," Japan replied. He looked at the hand mark on the side of the other's face. "That rooks rike it hurts."

"No shit," Hong spat. He glanced at Japan and noticed how depressed he was. There were bags under his eyes and they were more dull than usual. "How are you holding up?"

Japan turned away without answering. He felt so tired, but worse of all he felt so alone. All of his so called friends acted like they didn't care or ignored him completely. He hardly ate or drank anything and restless nights on top of that. With that being said, Japan felt like crap. Plus he didn't want to do any of his usual activities. A hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his trance. Hong Kong looked at him concern.

"Are you alright?" he repeated.

"Do I rook rike I'm arright?" Japan snapped.

Hong was surprised by his brother's sudden harsh tone. "Huh?"

"You are just rike the others! You act rike you give a damn, but you don't! The onry reason you're here is because your boss tord you to, isn't it? And why do you care anyway? Tell me now!"

"T-The reason I'm here is -"

"You're the only one who wanted to." Japan stated.

"China told me. He's worried about you as well as everyone else. I'm worried about you"

Hazel eyes met brown shocked. China was worried about him? Nonsense, there's no way he could be worried about him. Hell, after the first two months passed he acted like nothing had happened, which bother Japan every much. Then he heard someone walk into his room. He looked past Hong Kong to see the person who raised him: China.

China held a hand out. "There is something I want to show you."

Japan took it and was led out of the room, followed by Hong Kong.

* * *

><p>France and Britian spotted the Asian countries at the end of the hall and turned to the others.<p>

"They're coming," France said.

"All right. Everyone, battle stations!" America said.

All of the countries hurried back to their chairs just before the door opened. China was the first to come in, followed by Japan and Hong Kong. Japan stood in between his brothers taking in all of the reassuring looks from his friends. Then he heard one of his favorite songs playing, Fantasy on a Japanese Folk Song, as he looked up to the screen. Someone had made a video for him showing news clips of the tidal waves roaring down streets destroying anything in its path. At the end, a message popped up. It read: "Japan, one of the strongest countries of all. The Land of the Rising Sun will rise again!"

Japan had kept his composure through the video, but at the end he broke down. Everyone walked over to him and either hugged him or patted his shoulder. For once, the small nation didn't mind being touched now that he knew his friends were there for him. Fifteen minutes later, all of them were watching the memorial service on CNN, Japan sitting in the middle. When it was done, he stood up and turned to the others.

"Thank you for supporting me," he said. "I rearry appreciate it."

"Don't mention it," Britain said with a smile.

"We'll always be there for you, dude!" America exclaimed.

"All for one, one for all," France replied.

"We didn't want you to feel lonely," Russia said with a real smile.

Italy ran up and hugged Japan, who accepted it. "I don't like seeing my friends sad."

Japan looked at everyone and smiled for the first time in a long, long time. "Arigato."

After a moment of silence, Italy said he was going to make pasta for everyone to get rid of the gloominess. Britan and France started to fight over nothing as usual. China walked over to his little brother. "Didn't I tell you to never think any of us didn't care?" he scolded.

Japan nodded. "Yes. Yes you did."

* * *

><p><strong>Pray for Japan 2012<strong>


End file.
